USC men's head basketball coach: 'We're prepared ... Now if we handle it or not'

University of South Carolina has two teams in Final Four for the first time in school's history.

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Updated: 8:48 PM EDT Mar 28, 2017

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WEBVTT >> SO MUCH TO SAY.THEY HAVE MADE HISTORY.THE WOMEN'S TEAM ALSO MAKING ITIN THE FINAL FOUR.ARTAN SAYS HE KNOWS GONZALEZWILL BE A TOUGH COMPETITOR.THEY ARE AN OLDER TEAM.HE SAYS ALL OF THE NCAA TEAMSARE GREAT AND THIS ISN'T A TIMEOR PLACE TO BE INTIMIDATED.HE SAYS HIS TEAM DOES NOT WANTTO SEE THIS JOURNEY AND.THEY ARE LOVING EVERY MINUTE OFIT.>> OUR TEAM HAS BEEN EXPOSED TOEVERYTHING THIS YEAR.SIZE, ATHLETICISM WINNING,LOSING, GOOD, BAD SUSPENSIONS,THOSE KIDS HAVE NOT THROWN INTHE TOWEL.>> >> THE MEN WILL GET THECHANCE TO TIP UP AGAINST GONZAGA.THAT IS WHERE OUR SPORTS TEAM ISRIGHT NOW.THE WOMEN'S TEAM TAKES OFF AT7:30 P.M. IN DALLAS AGAINST THEOTHER TEAM.

USC men's head basketball coach: 'We're prepared ... Now if we handle it or not'

University of South Carolina has two teams in Final Four for the first time in school's history.

The University of South Carolina has two teams in the Final Four for the first time in the school's history.

It's only happened a few times since the NCAA's inception.

This is the first time USC's men's team has ever made it to a Final Four.

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USC men's head basketball coach Frank Martin said he knows Gonzaga University will be a tough competitor but the Gamecocks are ready.

"Our team has been exposed to everything this year: size, athleticism, winning, losing, good, bad, suspensions and those kids have not thrown in the towel or blinked one time this year. Gonzaga's real (sic) good. Their size is part of what makes them good. Their experience is the other part of what makes them good and then what makes them very good? They have a heck of a coach and they have very good players," Martin said in a press conference Tuesday. "We've faced everything too. We're prepared for the moment. Now, if we handle it or not, that’s a different animal."

Martin said his team loves the fight for the trophy.

"It’s the biggest stage in our sport. Our guys haven’t been scared to step up to every stage that’s been put before them before and I don’t expect them to be intimidated by it," Martin said. "On the contrary, they're enjoying every minute of this ride."

Martin said his team hasn't dwelled on losses this season.

"If you're in sports and you can't handle losing, you're not going to last in sports. It's not about winning and losing games. That emotion, its just like winning," Martin said. "You don’t keep that emotion the next day. That has to go away. When you lose, you have to get rid of that emotion."

He said he appreciates the excitement around campus and hopes it stays.

"Apathy was what I struggled with. It had nothing to do with our record. Apathy. Apathy across the board, from the campus to our community to our state to our locker room. That’s what I struggled with our first year," Martin said. "The first couple of years, I didn’t age because of losing games. I aged because of apathy. It's not fun when you walk out in an 18,000-seat arena and there are 3,000 people."

The men's team will tip off against Gonzaga on Saturday in Glendale, Arizona at 6 p.m. Eastern time.

The women's team will tip off against Stanford on Friday in Dallas, Texas at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time.